Anesthetic apparatus



Dec. 26, 1939. J. G. SHOLES ET AL ANESTHETIC APPARATUS Filed May '7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TO R S Ins/m 6. J/zales Joli/1 7." fileifler 7 500% f r-v HOW ATTORNEYS D 39- J. G. SHOLES El AL 2,135,069

ANESTHETIC APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i Iggy 7%3 Z ATTORNEYS Patented Wee. 26, 1939 .1 NEBTHETIO APPARATUS Justin c. shor and John '1'. Glekler. W. Ohio, assignors to The Ohio Chemical a Mannfaeturing Oompany, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application M! I, 1938, Serial N- 206,514

7 Claims. (Ci. IM -203) This invention relates to the administration of an anesthetic gas (by which term we mean to include anesthetic vapors also): to a patient under'the control of the patient himself, for the purpose of producing analgesia as distinguished from anesthesia, though it is to be understood that the administration can be controlled by the doctor,a physician or dentist.--or by an anesthetist, to produce anesthesia of any depth desired. The chief obiect of the invention is to provide an apparatus which requires positive actuation by the operator to cause delivery of gas to the breathing mask, so that when operated by the patient himself a lapse into unconsciousness will prevent further inhalation of more than a limited amount of the gas at most. In such case the anesthesia is shallow and the patient quickly regains consciousness. Another object is to provide for the purpose an apparatus which requires but slight muscular exertion on the part of the patient and which can therefore be used for a considerable period at a time without undue fatigue, as for example a half-hour or more in the dentists chair, or while the surgeon is setting a complicated fracture. A further object is to provide an apparatus which is simple in construction and unfailing in operation. Still another object is to provide a control mechanism in which the control valves are actuated by cam means in such manner that the inlet and outlet valves can not be open simultaneously, but only one at a time. To these and other ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combinations of elements hereinafter described.

Among the various forms in which our invention can be embodied we have selected for illustration and description herein'the one which we believe is the most convenient and eifective. This embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of the complete apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on a plane indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 3 is a detail section on a plane indicated by line 33 of Fi 2.

The apparatus shown comprises a hollow standard ill mounted on a tripod base ii equipped with casters l2 for convenient movement on the floor. The standard it carries a tubular yoke l3 supporting two gas cylinders or bottles i4, i5, one, say i5, containing an anesthetic gas and having a hand-operated valve it the outlet oi which (not shown) opens into the yoke for delivery of the gas to the pressure regulator or reducing valve ii. The other cylinder, i4, may contain another anesthetic gas. but preferably it contains oxygen. for use by the doctor or anesthetist in emergencies. For this purpose it is ii provided with a hand valve it, connected by a flexible tube II to one arm of a Y-fltting 28 the other arm of which is connected by a flexible tube 2i to a chamber 22 to receive gas therefrom as explained hereinafter. The stem of the 10 Y-fltting is connected by a flexible tube 23 to a breathing bag 24 which is itself connected by flexible tubes 2! to the breathing mask 20. The parts 24, 25, are preferably constructed as described in the copending application of J. G.

Sholes, Serial No. 151,569, the mask having an exhaling check valve 26a, and the bag 24 having an air-intake'check valve (not shown) at 24a. to permit air to enter the bag at each inhalation and at 24b 9. check valve (not shown) to 20 prevent exhalation into the bag. In the present instance the mask is designed to fit over the patient's nose only, leaving the month free; as is necessary for dentistry or, in general, for work in the mouth or throat; but it may of course be 25 constructed to cover the mouth as well or the mouth only when access to the oral cavity is not required. I

The pressure regulator i1 and the gas chamber 22 are connected through two valves, the 30 first, indicated at 30, being hand-operated to regulate or shut oil entirely the flow of lowpressure gas to the chamber. For this purpose the operating knob 3| may have a pointer 32 to indicate by its position the setting of the valve. 35

Between valve 30 and gas chamber 22 is a gas inlet valve 35 (see also Fig. 2), comprising a housing 36 having a tubular neck fitted in the wall of the chamber and formed with a conical seat 37 for cooperating with a valve head 88 on 0 the end of a valve stem 39 movable longitudinally in the neck but urged in one direction by a coil spring 40 to press the valve head on the seat. The valve stem is guided by a thimble 4i mounted on the inner end of the neck and provided with 4,5

one or more openings for flow of gasintothe gas chamber 22. The valve is opened to admit gas by an arm or lever 43 pivoted at 44 on a wall of chamber 22.

The gas chamber 22 is equipped with an outlet valve 45 having a nipple 46, Figs. 2 and 3, for attachment of tube 2i by which gas is delivered to the bag 24. This valve is provided with a conical seat 41 to cooperate with a valve head 48 held yieldingly on the seat by a coil spring 49 through themselves actuated by a cam 55 mounted inside of the gas chamber 22 on a shaft 58 for rotation thereby, the shaft being mounted at one end in a bearing on the inside of the removable wall 51 and at the other in a removable bearing 58 in the opposite wall. The shaft I6, and with it the cam 53. is rotated by a pinion 59 mounted on the outer end of the shaft and meshing with a gear 80 rotatably mounted on the chamber outside of the same. The gear is rotated by an arm 6i actuated by a reciprocating rod or plunger .2 as described hereinafter.

The valve-operating cam 55, Fig. 2, is circular for the greater part of its periphery but has two rises 65, 66, adjacent to each other. Normally the cam is in the position shown in Fig. 2, with the cooperating end of the valve operating lever 48 between the rises, and with the cooperating end or lever B! at a point opposite in the circular portion of the periphery of the cam. when, however, the gear 60 is rocked clockwise by the outward movement of rod 62 against the tension of its returning spring 82a the cam 55 is rotated counterclockwise, thereby bringing rise 66 into cooperation with the lever 48 and opening the inlet valve 35. This permits gas from regulator l1, Fig. 1, to enter the gas chamber 22. As the cam continues its counterclockwise movement rise 66 passes of! the lever and the inlet valve is closed by spring 40. Further counterclockwise movement of the cam brings rise 65 into engagement with lever it, which is thereby rocked to open the outlet valve 45 and permit gas to flow from the chamber 22 to the breathing mask 25, Fig. 1, the inlet valve 35 remaining closed. The cam is now arrested (by stop pin 61! extending from a wall of the gas chamber 22 into an arcuate slot 68 in the cam) and if the cam is heldin that position the patient can continue to inhale gas until the supply available from the chamber is exhausted. Upon release of the arm iii the spring 6211 reverses the movement of the cam, in which movement cam-rise 65 passes out of engagement with the valve operating lever i and the outlet valve 45 closes, after .which the rise 66 engages valve lever 43 and opens the inlet.

valve again. Finally the arm 6! reaches the upper limit ,of its movement, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 and with both valves closed. It will be observed that the inlet valve is opened twice in each cycle of operation, thus insuring that an adequate quantity of gas under low pressure (from the regulator l1) will be delivered to the gas chamber, but it will be evident that by appropriate design of the mechanism the valve can be opened more than twice or only once in each cycle. So also the outlet valve, all without having both valves open at the same time.

The rod 62, which actuates the arm 6| to rotate the valve-operating gear 60, is itself actuated by a length oi flexible shafting having a cable or wire 10 connected to the rod 62 at one end and at the other to a rod ll, Figs. 1 and 2, slidably mounted in a tubular member 12 attached to the spade-type handle 13. The rod II is connected to a member 14 slidably mounted in the handle 13, so that by drawing the member 14 toward the handle the patient can pull the rod 62 outwardly against the tension of spring15 and thereby rock the cam-actuating gear 80, the

cable i0 sliding in the flexible tube it which may consist of a closely wound helix of still spring wire. when the member 14 is released the spring 55 aids the spring 62a. to overcome the i'riction oi the cable in its housing and restore the parts to the position shown in Fig. 2. The housing 78 is attached at its outer end to the tubular member 72 and at its inner end to a socket 11 removably secured to a wall of the gas chamber outside oi'the latter. A cover 18, removably mounted on the chamber in any convenient manner, not shown, encloses the arm 6!,

pinion '9, gear 30, the inner end of socket ll,

and the protruding end of rod 62.

If desired the interior oi the gas chamber 22 can be connected to the interior of the hollow standard, as by means 01' a tube 80, Figs. 1 and 2, the connection thus making the standard a reservoir for gas delivered to chamber 22 in excess of what issues from the latter through the outlet valve d8.

To use the apparatus the sliding clamp ll, Fig. 1, is pushed toward the reservoir bag 24 far enough to permit the tubes 25 to be passed easily over the patients head and bring the mask 28 into proper position on his face, after which the clamp is moved back to hold the mask comfortably in place.

pressure and release of part 14 opening the inlet valve twice and outlet valve once. At each inhalation air enters the bag at 24b along with gas from tube 23 and from the bag the mixture of gas and air passes to the mask. In exhalation the breath is discharged from the mask through the exhaling valve 26a, being prevented from entering the.bag by the check valve 24a. Since the inlet and outlet valves 35, 45 can not be open simultaneously the maximum amount of gas can be inhaled at any one inhalation, even though the handle be held in a position at which the outlet valve 46 is open, is determined by the setting of the pressure regulator l1 and the doctor's valve 30, either or both of which may be set by the doctor himself according to his judgment 1 as to the sensitiveness of the patient to the particular gas used. If because of too rapid operation of handle 13-14, or too rapid breathing by The patient then operates the handle 13-14 as already described, inhaling and the patient, or from both causes, or because of 50 unknown susceptibility to the gas, the patient becomes unconscious the anesthesia so produced is shallow and the patient quickly regains consciousness, but in case of emergency the doctor can crack the oxygen valve l8 and thus deliver pure oxygen to the mask. 11 deeper anesthesia is desired, as for example in an operation in which any sudden or convulsive movement of the patient may be dangerous, as might happen if the patient should suddenly feel pain, the doctor or attendant can operate the handle and thus maintain any desired depth of anesthesia for as long as required.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction herein illustrated and described but can be embodied in other forms without departure from its spirit as defined by the appended claims.

We claim- 1. In an apparatus for administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient,

"cooperating with the valves for actuation of the same independently of each other and in succession only, so that both cannot be opened simultaneously, and means operable by the patient to actuate the cam means.

2. In an apparatus for administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient, comprising, in combination, a gas chamber having means for connection with a source of anesthetic gas and means for connectionv with a breathing mask, an inlet valve controlling the delivery of gas to the chamber, and an outlet valve controlling the delivery of gas to the mask, the improvements which comprise valve-operating means individual to the valves,'rotary cam means cooperating with the valve-operating means to actuate the same independently of each other and in succession only, so that both cannot be opened simultaneously, and means operable by the patient to actuate the cam means.

3. In an apparatus for administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient, in combination, a gas chamber, means for delivering anesthetic gas thereto including an inlet valve, means for delivering gas from the chamber to a breathing mask including an outlet valve, a cam in the chamber, means actuated by the cam to open said valves independently of each other, the cam being shaped tocooperate with said means in successiononly whereby the valves can not be opened simultaneously, and patientoperable means outside of the chamber and operatively connected with the cam to rotate the latter.

4. In an apparatus for administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient, in combination,-a gas chamber, means for delivering anesthetic gas thereto including an inlet valve, means for delivering gas from the chamber to a breathing mask including an outlet valve, means housed in the chamber and including a rotary cam to open said valves in succession only and prevent opening of both simultaneously, and patient-operable. means outside of the chamber and operatively connected with the cam to rotate the latter.

5. In an apparatus for administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient,

comprising, in combination, a gas chamber, and means for delivering anesthetic gas thereto including an inlet valve, the improvements which comprise means ior delivering gas iromthe chamber to a breathingmask including an outlet valve operable independently of the inlet valve, a cam housed in the chamber, a shaft associated with the cam inside the chamber to actuate the cam and extending outside of the chamber, valve-actuating means individual thereto inside of the chamber and cooperating with the cam for ac-- tuation thereby to open the valves in succession only/so that both valves cannot be opened simultaneously, and patient-operable means outside 0! the chamber and operatively connected with the shaft to "actuate the same.

6. In an apparatus for administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient, in combination, a gas chamber having means for connection with a source of anesthetic'gas and means for connection with a breathing mask, an inlet valve tdcontrol the delivery 0! gas to the chamber, an outlet valve to control the delivery only and neither can be open while the other is open, and means operable by the patient to actuate the cam, n l v 7. In an apparatus for the administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient, comprising, in combination, a chamber having inlet and outlet valves, in connection with a source of anesthetic gas and a breathing mask respectively, said valves being adapted to open and close independently of each other, the improvements which comprise a valve-actuating lever in the chamber cooperating with the inlet valve, a. valve-actuating lever in the chamber cooperating with the outlet valve, a cam housed in the casing to cooperate with said levers and shaped to rock the same independently of each other and in succession only, whereby both valves can never be simultaneously opened, and patientoperable means for actuating the cam.

8. An apparatus for the administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient,

comprising, in combination, a chamber having 9. An apparatus for the administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient, comprising, in combination, a chamber having inlet and outlet valves in connection with a source of anesthetic gas and a breathing mask respectively, said valves being adapted to open and close independently of each other, the improvements which comprise valve-actuating members in the chamber cooperating with the inlet and outlet valves individually, a rotary actuating cam housed in the casing between said members to cooperate with the same individually and shaped to actuate the same independently of each other and in succession only, whereby both valves can never be simultaneouslyoopened,

means for limiting the movement of the cam in both directions, and patient-operable means for actuating the cam.

10. In an apparatus for administration of an anesthetic gas under the control of a patient, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a gas chamber, means for delivering anesthetic gas thereto including an inlet valve, means for delivering gas from the chamber to a breathing mask including an outlet valve, the improvements which comprise means housed in the chamber and including a rotary cam to open said valves in succession only and prevent opening of both simultaneously, a pinion connected with the cam to rotate the same, a gear meshing with the pinion to rotate the latter, and patient-operable means outside of the casing to rotate the gear.

JUSTIN G. SHOLES. JOH T. GLEKLER.

' GER'I'IFIGA'I'E 0F comc nom.

Patent'No. 2,185,069. December 26, 1939.

1 JUSTIN c. SHOLES, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, sec- 0nd column, line 111, for "gas can" read gas that can; page 5,'second column, line 1-, claim 6, for "on" read of; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein thatthe same may conform to the .record ofthe case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 01m day of Januar A. 1). 191m.

' Henry Van Afsda'le,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

